Dueling Pianos
by Harleenquinzel085
Summary: Christian is a lonely Pianist, who meets his match, a fiery Brunette who takes the stage and sings her way into his heart, now he wants more, and she is reeling from a broken heart, the question, can they play away each others pain?
1. Chapter 1 - Crazy in Love

Dueling Pianos. Crazy in Love.

I took my seat on the other side of the piano, knowing who I would go up against. I laughed. Little Kate Kavanagh the Portland powerhouse, the one who has a mouth on her like a sailor and the fingers of a skilled pianist. I Christian Grey can put her to shame no problem, hell Jack Hyde last week Little Kate Kavanagh this week, this should be easy. Or so I thought I looked up and there was no blonde at the end of me, but a knock out burette, with large Blue eyes and small thin lips. I don't know who she was but she was not Ms. Kavanagh.

"I'm sorry that seat is reserved for Ms. Kavanagh," I announced over the mike. Hoping Jason Tayler the owner of Dueling Pianos and a longtime friend would kick this girl off my bandstand and I would show this bar who was the boss. She cleared her throat, a wonderful sound. "Sorry this is a short notice thing, she got strep throat and she can't sing tonight. So she asked me to fill in." She smiled, her hair was pulled back from her face, and had Chinese chop sticks pinning her hair back. I had to do something to get her off my stage. I am the star here. I looked at her and with as much sarcasm I had in my voice, I said. "Well, that's what you get if you can't get off the guy's lap." I heard a lot of ooh's from the men and boo's from the women only she was quick with a comeback. "Really, because what she said was you liked the men more than the ladies Grey!" My face turned to stone, how dare she embarrass like this!

"Enough of this! Let's play!" I started us in a C minor, she was quick to follow, I looked out over the audience and asked, "And what would you like to hear tonight Seattle? Seeing as I am being challenged in my _OWN_ bar!" I heard the normal people should from the back Billy Joel I got tired of playing him but she jumped on a tune, I looked over and she was started into a tune. One I would recognize but I didn't until she went right into it. Beyonce – Crazy In Love. She got me good,

 _"You Ready?"_ She sang, I didn't know this one too well but she went right to work. She smile sweetly as she played, then a silky voice came from within her, _"I look and stare so deep in your eyes, I touch on you more and more every time. When you leave I'm begging you not to go, call your name two or three times in a row."_ I loosed my neck tie and tried to keep with the sexy beat, watching her mouth carve out every word like Beyonce would. The voice of her sent blood rushing to my cock. I would love to take her over this piano, now. _"Got me looking, got me looking so Crazy in love"_ I had to join in with her, I joined her for the _"Uh oh,"_ parts.

I looked over "I can take this part. _"When I talk to my friends so quietly, who you think she is?"_ She jumped in,

 _"_ _Look at what you did to me. Tennis shoes, don't need to buy a new dress,"_

I cut her off, _"If you ain't there,"_

She shot back _"ain't nobody else to impress."_ She giggled but never stopped singing. _"It's the way that you know what I thought I knew. It's the beat my heart skips when I'm with you_."

I shot in _"but I still don't understand"_ her voice cooed _"Just how your love can do what no one else can."_ I matched her beat for beat, word for word. We just sang together for this part, _"Got me looking so crazy right now, Your love's got me lookin so crazy right now, Got me looking so crazy right now, got me looking so crazy tight now, your touch's got me so looking so crazy right now."_ Her and I sang together normally it was just one on one to outdo each other but really I wanted her to sing her heart out, she wasn't bad either. I wanted to finger her on the high notes just to hear her scream my name. I let her take some of the last part of the song.

 _"_ _Got me hoping you save me right now your kiss, got me hoping you save me right now, lookin' so crazy your love got me lookin' got me looking so crazy in love!"_ Her voice that high note I literally stood up hit the keys so she won't come undone on that note. As the song came to a close. Dear God not only was I rock hard for her, I didn't want her to end, I wanted her to keep singing. She was breathless. Oh my god, I had to have her over my personal piano at home, I didn't sleep, mostly from the night terrors from when I was a small boy and the piano brought me comfort but now I wanted her over my piano singing that high note over and over. She looked over at me, "is it your turn?" She asked with a coy smile.

"Honey if it was my turn you would be singing longer and higher notes." She turned a beautiful shade of red, she was blushing,

"Oh Mr. Grey, I don't think we could that kind of show with this many people here."

" _Oh, we don't mind!"_ I heard from the back. It was Billy Joel guy, God I hated that guy. I chucked.

"Yeah, Billy Joel I mind!" The audience laughed along with me, I got a paper note from a Leila the waitress, and I looked at the note. "'Could I please play that song again?' Sorry folk's only one song performance a night, but I will play one of my favorites" I looked over and said, _"Do you know Elvis Presley – Can't Help Falling In Love with You?"_ A slow smile crept across her face,

"Is that a suggestion, Mr. Grey?" She asked.

"It is, what is your name I never got it, we just started playing."

"Ana, Ana Steele."

"Well Ana, _Wise men say 'Only fools rush in,' But I can't help, Falling in love with you."_

Later that night, I sat up at the bar and waited for my Tips to be counted out as they did Mr. Taylor came and patted me on the shoulder, "Hey sorry for the last minute change up but I thought the little blonde would show, it's ok it was Ana's first time, you handled her like a pro. Thanks again." I shook my head, and sucked back on my bottle of bud, watching the young one get her lipstick on, her ruby red lips. I wanted that stain all over my body, or at least the parts she could touch, "Don't go there Grey, you worked too hard in this life to think of that bitch and her monsters, I shook my head knocking the demons out again, I took a long pull of my beer and watched Ana in her black, purple and gold dress, stand it was of Dragons, something you would find a in a vintage store. With her black come fuck me pumps. God damn this girl was better than any groupie I had. I looked at the time just after two am, normal Friday night would mean me going home to an alone apartment one I shared with my horn dog brother and hearing his bed squeak for two hours on end longer if it was yoga teacher. I shook my head with that thought. I looked at Ana, I didn't notice but now Seattle winter now came with snow, she looked out and her eyes looked down and away, how I wanted to walk her home. _"Walk her home Grey? That sounds so corny even for you!"_ My inner demon mocked at me, I downed my beer and waved Leila off at the bar who just passed me my envelope for the night, in it where my tips, I hoped Ana got hers,

"wait if you are going to blue eyes pass this to her." Leila handed me another envelope. "Lucky her, she did good one her first night."

"How much did she make?" I asked. Leila shrugged,

"Ball park, just little over a hundred, but I heard she was in publishing, so for her, it might be a night to make some extra cash." She turned back to cleaning back the bar. I looked for Ana who had made it outside. She was about to get into a car when I called out.

"Hey wait!" I called in the snow, she pulled back and looked at me her red lips glowing as the snow fell around her face, I held her envelope up, Ana smiled and looked inside the car, "just wait for me." She came to me watching her body almost skip as the snow brushed beside her body. I can't wait anymore, we don't work now, I can't wait a minute longer.

"Yes Christian?" Her voice breathless.

"Thank fuck." I grabbed her in my arms and pulled her close, she didn't pull back and didn't resist. She melted. Her arms were almost frozen to her sides then a horn pulled me back from what I was doing to this young woman, " _Got me hoping you save me right now your kiss, got me hoping you save me right now, lookin' so crazy your love got me lookin' got me looking so crazy in love."_ I sang to her. She smiled then took her envelope. "Thank you for the song Mr. Grey I hope our paths cross again."

"I hope so," I called out as she got in the car and drove off into the night, I was stuck there with the hard on and a horn dog to go home to. Great my night was shaping up to be awesome.

Anastasia's p.o.v.

I sat there in Kate's Mercedes as she drove us home in the snow the truth was she got a bad sore throat and she couldn't do it, her runny nose and cough were something not to be desired as I looked at the snow flowing down around us. "So you were kissing the star of the show huh?" Her raspy voice came out. "He's not bad but really I want to think about just going home and going to bed and not telling anybody about this."

"Why not?" Her cough came up as we sat at a red light, it flicked to green, I sat there and thought about how a few weeks ago, my heart was shattered from my long time love Jose left me at the altar, we were saving ourselves then the night before our wedding he ran off with a stripper, and well Kate and I waited all day for him. I just broke down, so Kate told me, I never knew I just slept. I never felt that way with Jose as Christian stole my breath away, and the way we played, I hadn't played with that much fire in my belly, not in the years I learned and not in the years in college. I don't know what Christian did, but I was for sure, going to be Crazy, Crazy in Love with him. "Just hoping He might come back I don't want to ruin anything." Kate scoffed,

"If anything he ruined any chance he would have you, I think you should after Christian, at least pop your cherry, get it out of the way. Actually, I think I know where he lives let's go stalk the bastard!" Kate was about to do a U-turn,

"Kate no!" I begged, "if it is meant to happen with him it will okay?" Pleading with her. She put her hands up and back to the wheel. We were quiet for most of the ride home, I looked in the envelope to see what it was, and there was over 100.00 in there.

"Your tips?" Kate asked. I nodded.

"I should give this to you," I said as we pulled into our apartment underground parking. I looked at my old Wanda as I got out. My old girl who I loved but didn't have the money for snow tires this year. I closed the door on the car and walked up with Kate, "Nonsense you keep it, you earned it." We came up to our apartment. Jose and I didn't live together in fear of doing the unholy deed. Kate and I had lived together for five almost six years from our time in Portland, to Seattle. I would go anywhere with her. I wish I had the guts to move out, but I couldn't, not now.

I brushed my teeth, and climbed into bed, I thought of us singing tonight, I loved Crazy in love it was my go to song in College, Jose said it was whores song of how she would pine over a man, I didn't say I was pining over Christian I think if anything I was letting him know I was available. My mind was racing and thinking if grey eyes, a cooing voice of can't help falling in love. Oh God, I was in Crazy, question would he save me?

 **Okay, this is a story I have thought long and hard on, and I wanted to make it so your song made it, I added Crazy in love because it was a big part of the original story as well as the movie. I had to listen to it a lot and look up lyrics but listen to it with Crazy in love by Sofia Karlberg. you will feel it in your body more than just reading it, I had to pause it a few time because of how intense it got. I hope you like it.**


	2. Chapter 2 - Witchcraft

Witchcraft

Normally I would take the bus home or I would drive but since it started snowing I left my car at the club and walked home, really it was the little miss Ana Steele under her spell, I was thinking all the way home how I could play her and play her well. I made it into my apartment at 3 am or so, I found myself in front of my piano, I had to play, lucky for me I knew what I wanted to play I didn't care if I woke up my brother's date, I wanted to play. I started into an F Major and started playing, I played it long and loud, I didn't care, it was Friday night. I didn't sing along with the words until I heard _"And I've got no defense for it, the heat is too intense for it, what good would common sense for it do?"_ Out walked my brother in his boxers and put his hands on my shoulders. I kept playing, and he broke in for idle chitchat.

"Christian, come on let's go to bed." I shook my head.

"Elliot you of all people I don't sleep most nights." I played on, my grand piano didn't fit in our small apartment, but all the money in the world helped us fit inside.

"Yeah I know, but I have to try our mom would have wanted you to sleep." My hands fell heavy on the keys. Our mother, Grace the woman who had saved me from the monsters at night, had been taken all too soon, mind you she was a wealthy woman who left us a good size of our funds and I didn't need to work again, and I chose not to. I wanted to play but Elliot had a point and I was sitting there in the dark playing not only one of mom's favorite songs but the one I played when I was in love. I only played it one other time in my life.

"You go ahead, I want to be alone right now." Elliot's hands left my shoulders the only place he touches me. I looked at the keys, Grace poured her heart into caring and loving me as a son could, she truly loved me and I missed her daily. She taught me 'Witchcraft' now on a night I wish I could see her, I couldn't. I put my head on the top of the piano and cried. Grace and Carrick Trevelyan-Grey were in a car accident a few years ago and every so often on nights when the snow fell I would look out the window and think of the last words spoken with my mother.

 _Flash back 5 years ago._

"Christian we will be there shortly, don't worry about us darling, just get on stage and you will be fine." I smiled at my over concerned mother worried voice, I heard her say. _"Carrick slow down on the turns it's slippery."_

"Ok, mom I hope to see you soon." Its wasn't my first night at Dueling Pianos but it was a night I hoped my mom would come see me. She promised she would be there at any moment. I was on a mini break to check on her, and she was almost here, I had to get back.

"Ok, darling Love you." Then the line clicked off.

"I love you too mom." I never said it often but tonight I did. She would be here soon. Soon.

Two hours later still nothing I played my heart out like she was coming to that bar, I was feeling so angry what could have kept her I played all of her songs, ones she would have wanted to hear. Elliot and Mia were there, then a cop came in.

"Are you the Trevelyan-Grey kids?"

We all looked at each other not sure what to say. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but your parents hit head-on with a semi-truck. They didn't make it." Mia collapsed and since Elliot and I had to look strong we grabbed her little body and held her.

"Mommy is gone?" Mia asked in a howl, we left shortly after and we went to the morgue to see our mother and father. Mia took one look and was done for, Elliot even teared up looking at our mother's lifeless body. I just pinched the bridge of my nose and tried not to show emotion.

I went back to the apartment early while Elliot and Mia took care of what they could I had a friend Andrea who helped them. As soon as I walked in I went to the piano and played my pain away. I hit the keys until my hands cramped up and I cried as I played. I wanted to just play, she showed me a world of love through music and now it was gone. I stopped playing once Elliot came home and I cried on the piano.

 _Present._

I thought back to that night, it would be five years ago around this time. I forgot the day my parents died, but Mia and Elliot never did, they reminded me every year. I went to bed and fell into an unrested sleep.

 _Anastasia's P.O.V_

I awoke Sunday morning having dreamed of Pianos and playing, our neighbor at 3 am decided to tickle the ivories, I don't notice it that much until last night. Our neighbor must also be a horn dog too, Kate says she can hear people having sex at all hours of the day. Whoever he is, he must be a great lover, I didn't care, my sleep was less than full and I felt I could still sleep for another twelve hours, dreaming of grey eyes as well as pianos.

I pulled myself outta bed and marched into a shower, I had a few submissions to read over this weekend, I had worked for Jack Hyde for little over two years, mind you I was with somebody when I started working now, he would take every advancement to see if I was available. I didn't want him I wanted Jose back. I turned on the hot water, and adjusted the water temperature. Did I want Christian? I climbed in and ran my hair and body over the soothing water as I thought about that smile, those hands caressing my body, Jose never caressed me, he was scared I would get turned on and want him there. I thought of his grey eyes as he looked down into my soul, would he dance with me? Jose never danced, in fact, Jose never was the romantic type, he just kept saying what I wanted was a sin, and tried to make me see otherwise. I washed my hair and washed my body, I wanted Christian to take me and be as sinful as we could be. The problem was how would I find a man whom I wasn't sure if I would see him again?


	3. Chapter 3 - Earned It

Earned it

 _Anastasia's P.O.V._

I walked into work on Monday morning with my reports and slid them on Jack's desk, he wasn't in this morning but I still got started with my day and I went to the coffee machine the mean machine I called it, the thing hated me, it would spit at me every time I would make the coffee this morning there was a note of a new one coming in, " _thank fuck_ " I mumbled out loud only Jerry Roach heard me. He looked up at me with a cold stare I was just reminded of Christian. "I'm Sorry" I mouthed out, knowing how the Jerry liked a swear-free zone, which meant I would have to leave the office to get Jack's coffee, not that I minded hell, it was one day of the week where I wasn't getting hot coffee spat at me. I could run to the local Starbucks, I looked into my bag the one with the envelope with the money, _My Tips_. I could run to the back now or leave it and just use the money for whatever. I shrugged and pushed into the overcrowded Starbucks I looked ahead and noticed my boss Jack ordering coffee I ran ahead and pulled a twenty, "It's on me today, and can I get a skinny latte for myself?" The girl smiled and took my name, as she handed back my change, Jack looked at me and smiled.

"What?" I asked.

"Who you think put the note on the coffee machine?" He asked I laughed and felt his stare on me, I looked around to find a man in an ill wearing suit. I looked at him "Christian?" He pulled back from the window and took off, as he did, I ran out after him.

"Hey wait!" I called but he kept walking, shaking his head. Jack came up beside me, carrying our coffees.

"Come on partner, if he isn't into waiting for you, why bother chasing him?" He was right then again that was the same thing I did when I met Jose. I stood there holding the door waiting for him to come back and kiss me again, _"save me."_ His words still haunt me. I pulled away and took my latte, I told Jack about my weekend and he told me about his.

As soon as I put my head down and started working I didn't look up until it was Lunch time. I looked at Jack who was deeply engrossed with his latest manuscript the one I pushed for him to read. "Lunch today, same as before?" His thumb went up as to say yes. He didn't even hear the question, I could have told him the building was on fire and he would still be nose deep in his readings.

I pulled on my red coat, and walked out in the cold air, I walked up to the deli that was down the street from work. I felt his eyes on me even before I look I spun around waiting for him to find those eyes, these haunting eyes. Not seeing them anywhere I gave up and went inside. I came up to the counter and ordered a ham on whole wheat and a pastrami on rye. I opened the envelope and pulled out another few dollars and got us some drinks.

"Do you work around here?" His voice was cold as snow, I turned to become face to face with a chest. His chest in a white linen shirt.

"Yes," I choked. "Yes, I do."

"Ok, thanks for letting me know." He was about to turn and leave when I grabbed his ruffled black jacket. "What?"

"What is your problem with me?" I demanded. He just started at the ground as if I was scolding him, "Well? Answer me!"

 _Christian's P.O.V._

I saw her at the Starbucks I knew Jack was married but the way she was laughing with him made it seem she wasn't as innocent as I dreamed up in my head Saturday night, I went out and played at a local club Sunday and I got home late and I didn't sleep just twisted around in my bed and dreamed of blue eyes and her smile. I needed to clear my head it was just by chance I saw here in the Starbucks as soon as I saw her I walked away hearing her call out for me, I couldn't run back it would make me look weak so I kept my head down and kept walking. I made it to a park sat down and thought of her, I couldn't do this, not to her, my head was swimming with her and I couldn't send her my dark path of fuckupness. When I decided I wanted to go home and sleep her off knowing she would haunt me there too, I saw her exiting from a building, there I followed her, she wore a red coat, I stared at her back then ducked behind a wall so she won't see me, I looked as she turned watching her turn and turn in the snow looking for me. She soon gave up and went into the deli there I followed her in, I was a little hungry since I didn't eat breakfast, but I wanted something to take away this dull ache in my belly since Saturday night. There she was, ordering. I wanted to do that for her. I wanted to be her slave, I wanted to earn her love. I wanted it, I needed it.

I walked up behind her and asked. "Do you work in this area?" Her body stiffened as I hoped it would I wanted to make her more than stiffening up I wanted to make her shake to her core, all over my piano. She turned into me and into my chest, her nose where one of the burns lay, I didn't push her away as she answered, _"Ok time to go"_ I thought. I pushed away, She called out to me, "What?" I didn't mean to come out as harsh as it did, but it's out now. What was my problem with her? Her blue eyes turned into clouds I didn't know what to say, she had me at disadvantage, I was the one who was having problems with her, not with her.

"I haven't slept since Saturday," I announced.

"That's a problem but it's not mine, what's your problem with me?" She demanded.

The Clerk called her for her sandwiches to which she ignored.

"I don't have a problem with you, I'm just tired and hungry and I saw you and had a second to ask you a question because I'm going back to work." Ok that last part was a lie, I hadn't set foot in my dad's law firm in years he left the whole thing to me but the Broad took over when they knew how badly I was affected by the accident I just am a trust fund baby, but I don't act like it. I have billions sitting in the accounts I could go buy a small island and drink rum filled drinks until my liver gave out, but I wanted to play in local clubs for nickels and dimes and enjoy the ride, money is money it comes and goes. She relaxed after a second then fired another question.

"So if you are going to work, what do you do?"

"I work as a lawyer." Biggest joke ever and a lie, I haven't practiced law since the accident and even then I don't think I want to practice, I just want to play. She nodded her head absorbing the information. She smiled then looked at my ill ruffled suit.

"They let you come to work like that?" She nodded to my suit and went to get her food, I went to the counter and ordered some soup and chicken club sandwich. I was hungry.

"Yes, actually I own my own practice, Grey, and Pratt law firms. I normally take days off here and there, but yeah today I decided to go in like this." I smiled as I paid for my lunch.

"Well, I have somebody waiting for me for this but do you want to go out sometime? Maybe get a meal together?" She asked.

"Yes Please!" Boy, that was quick then again I had been thinking of that kiss since Saturday, maybe I could take her out this week before Dueling pianos. She looked taken aback then smiled as if her question was going to be met with a negative answer. "Ok then! Um here let me give you my card." She went into her pause and pulled out a card one with books all over it with her number and her name where she lived. I looked at where she lived. I kept my mouth shut. "Ok see you, Christian." She turned and left the deli. I looked at the card again, waited a few seconds then jumped up and did a fist bump! _"Yes, I earned her!"_ I saw she lived in the same building as my brother, this will be fun. The clerk called my order number and I sat down and ate my lunch. I couldn't stop staring at the card. Anastasia Steele, 1 (206) 453- 5551 email address, AnaSteele as soon as I finished lunch I ordered an uber to take me home. I pulled myself into an empty apartment, my brother whom could go on with his life goes to work as an electrical engineer. Meaning lots of early mornings and not many late nights but now I could sleep I put her card on my nightstand and pulled off my clothes and fell into a deep restful sleep.


	4. Chapter 4 Love Me Like You Do

Chapter 4 Love Me Like You Do.

Anastasia P.O.V.

I waited until the end of the day and collected my bags and left, Jack came out of his office, "Hey Ana I know it's against company policy but would you like to go to lunch sometime?" He paused "um let me know." I never had a thing for my boss but that statement left me into a puddle of goo... watching grab his coat, and he left, I knew he was married and I don't know how his wife felt about him asking out the staff, but really I didn't want to make things uncomfortable. I walked out and found him, "I don't know if lunch is such a good idea? Won't you wife find out about it?" He turned to me, and chuckled.

"My wife and I are on a trial separation, I know you are going through some stuff and I was wondering if you wanted to go sit down and talk about it, you ok with that?"

My mouth fell open then shut. I shook my head then words fell out. "Yeah sure let go get some food." He beamed at me and hugged me.

"Thank you, are you hungry right now I know this great place down where we live." I nodded.

"Sure why not." Thinking of Christian, I walked to Jack's car and got in, it was just a bite after work. How would he know what I was doing?

Ten minutes later we came to Keys On Main which was the club. "Hey I know this place, " I told him.

"You do? He looked at me with a puzzling look.

"Ye, I told you this morning I was here on Saturday!" He laughed.

"That's right, now I know why we are here!" Then he looked up and saw Christian at the piano. He was playing, nothing fancy.

"Do you play?" He asked as he held open the door. I nodded.

"Yes, I played when I lived with my mom Georgia, she was a great teacher, and I practiced day and night. I just loved playing all my favorite songs as a kid." He nodded.

"Like what would you play?" I looked over at Christian who didn't even see us walk in and started to play a song that I had heard on the radio a lot recently, _"Love Me Like You Do."_ I stopped and looked at Jack unable to answer his question as I transfixed on the piano, "um songs you know?"

I thought back to when I heard this song the first time, it was Jose and mine soon to be wedding song and we were working on out box step, we were a giggling mess, but this song I thought meant that he would love me how I wanted to be loved only I was wrong.

 _Flashback_

"You're doing it wrong! It's slow, slow quick, quick, slow." I yelped, we were watching a YouTube video of us dancing, and Jose was stepping on my toes.

"Well Ana I can't help it, your feet are in the way. Kate, can you help us?" That's right because it was Kate's idea, and now we were in the middle of the kitchen and dancing to the living room trying to find a good way to dance to this song, which now was on repeat.

"No, but this will go on YouTube for funniest first dance ever!" Jose was getting mad as he took my hand again,

"You stop leading let me guide you." I nodded. This time he got it right, a slow, slow, quick, quick, slow, He danced me around in circles and even twirled me. He surprised me for a second and then the song came to a final close. Then and there the both of us out of breath looked at each other and knew what we wanted to do next. "Wow!" We turned to see Kate with the camcorder still with a blinking red dot on. "That was amazing you guys good job." Kate stopped the recording and clapped her hands. Jose looked at me didn't even kiss or say goodbye just ran out the door. I hugged myself and went to take a shower, Kate was used to him ducking out and not saying goodbye it was his way of shutting the possibly of being inmate feelings down.

 _Present_

"Earth to Ana," I looked at Jack with tears in my eyes, "You ok?" I shook my head,

"I'm sorry I can't do this I have to go." I got my coat and ran out of the bar not sure who saw me but I didn't need to hear a song that was a sore reminder of what I was about to have. I cried on my way home. I walked in and broke down, Kate was home and came to my side.

"I heard our first dance song while out with the boss… and I can't live without him." I sobbed.

Kate held me and rubbed my back.

"I know I am trying to be supportive here Ana but he is an ass for what he did to you." We pulled back, "who walks out after an intimate moment because he doesn't want to turn you on so much that you have sex. Trust me he did you a favor, now you can do yourself a favor and see other people." I cried "I didn't want other people, I wanted Jose. I wanted him outta all people I wanted to be married."

"Is this the sex brain talking or how he talked to you? Because really I think the way he talked to you was just horrible and if you too were married he would just talk badly to you. Just take tomorrow off say you are not well, and we can have a girl's day." I shook my head, my dad wasn't going to cover the wedding and since I was insisted on everything, I paid for the whole wedding out of my own pocket, most of it went to credit cards and borrowed money sitting outside that wedding, waiting for him to show up. Was like watching my dollars walk out of the church door. I cried harder knowing I wanted to be married but I was too broke to do it again.

Kate helped me into the shower and helped me into comfy clothes and then I was watching T.V. with her when a knock came to my front door, I looked at Kate then back to the door. I got up and made my way over.

A delivery man stood there, "I have um flowers for a Ms. Steele?" I nodded. Unable to get my voice to work. I looked at the man, "Jack?" He pulled his hat up and chuckled.

"Look I know you are going through a lot right now and if I was dumped the way you were I wouldn't want to date either."

I heard footsteps from below and they stopped half way up the steps but I wanted him to know the truth.

"Don't take this the wrong way but I do want to move on with my life, I just don't know how to do this anymore." I leaned on my front door.

"What? Be single?" He asked. I nodded. "Well, we can go slowly. But first is for you, and at some point you feel like running tell me so we can pull back, I really like you Ana and we make a great team at work and I want to see more of you." I nodded.

"I would like that." I grinned at him, I took the flowers. He waved and headed off I watched him take off down the stairs, I looked down and saw his grey eyes burning into me. _"Oh no"_

 _Christian's P.O.V._

I saw her in the bar when they walked in, I knew it was her I started playing a song that would mean something to her, I knew that guy and what he did, the walls in our apartment are thin if she could hear my brother at 2 am with a girl then I could hear her crying about that cheating, scumbag. I didn't like who she was with so I had to do something major to realize that he was a mistake. I knew the song that she was practicing her first dance with, I could hear the girls and him giggling that day. My plan worked, as I watched her recognize the song, her eyes glazed over, I played it as if she was the only girl in the room, I wanted to wipe her eyes, I wanted to dance with her and show her I could be that man. But it worked too well, she ran from the bar, then Jack Hyde looked over at me with a scowl. I just raised my hands off the keys. "Sorry man I didn't know it was a bad song," I called over. He threw down some money and raced out. I laughed as I looked at him running after her, knowing where she lived and how long it would take her to get home. I had only just practice time, Taylor never opened the bar up on Mondays it was funny they "happened" to walk in, it was a plan I wanted to have happen, did and it went perfectly. Taylor knew I liked to play a lot of the clubs in Seattle didn't mind I would come in and start playing not that I didn't do it from home, but to me to play in clubs was if I was waiting for my mom to come in and hear me. I shook my head as I changed the song from "Love me like you do" to Taylor Swift's song "This Love." Taylor sat out with his wife Gail and watched me as I played.

"Man you going to finish up soon? I don't want to have people think we are open when we are not." Referring to the walk outs. I nodded.

"After this song." I thought of Ana and how much I would like to show her, I wanted to take her on a helicopter ride, I had the money and the means, and I just didn't want to woo her with that.

I could do this, I could it with my piano. I brought the song to a close, I pulled the cover for the piano down and stood up. I walked over to Taylor shook his hand and left.

It's not unlike me to look for a bar in this city to let me come in and play, I didn't need the money I just wanted to play, I loved to share my talents with the world. Not many places where open due to the snow. I only slept for a few hours, and got up and went out. Maybe I should see how Ana is doing?

I walked into our apartment building and walked up the stairs only to hear voices at the top of them. I heard his voice and her sweet voice.

"Look I know you are going through a lot right now and if I was dumped the way you were I wouldn't want to date either." I heard her sigh I wanted to be there for her, I wanted to be her one and only shining knight.

"Don't take this the wrong way but I do want to move on with my life, I just don't know how to do this anymore." She could sing it, or yell it, I wanted to make her mine, and I didn't want anybody's paws on her.

"What be single?" He asked. "Well, we can go slowly. But first is for you, and at some point you feel like running tell me so we can pull back, I really like you Ana and we make a great team at work and I want to see more of you." I could see she was not wanting to talk to him, I couldn't see why not the guy was married or was when he came to the bar that night. He had a little thing wrapped around him.

"I would like that." I grinned at him, I took the flowers. He waved and came towards the stairs I watched him take off down the stairs, she looked at me as I looked at her.

"What are you doing here Christian?" She asked she was frightened as if I had stalked her. She didn't know we were neighbors, I came up the stairs as she held her flowers close to her, they were nice but I could do better than Lilies and daisies, Ana should be getting roses for being extraordinary.

"I live next door, Ana." She turned and came back without the flowers.

"No you don't" She smiled as if I was making it up.

"You were at Keys on Main a place on Mondays is normally closed and there I was, playing, I wouldn't normally take notice but you Ana, are very notable." She looked down and blushed. _Yes second time blushing, take that Hyde!_ "Plus I don't want you around him, he's married."

"Trial Separation." She corrected me.

"Just saying watch yourself, Ana, I know what the last man did to you and I wanted to make sure that never happened again."

"How would you know? You were never there!" She was getting angry but now it was time.

"Ana, I hear everything, you know that the playing at 3 a.m. the other night?" She nodded. "That was me, our apartments are like paper thin, I can hear you go to the bathroom at six am I can hear you say good morning to Kate, I can hear your crying nightly over that two bit jerk and I heard about what happen over and over with Kate and you, about him leaving you at the church, and I agree with Jack, but you need care, and love and not somebody who would or wouldn't leave. A trial separation is a way to say I want to fuck you but have an out to go back to my wife. Trust me Ana you don't need him."

She looked up ready to cry. "Then who do I need?"

I looked at her and pulled her chin up, I swallowed a bit of air and looked deep into these big blue eyes, and in one breath I replied. "Me." I placed my lips on her and kissed her, she leaned into it and held my arms I would pick her up and carry her into my apartment and take her sweet cherry, in fact, it would be an honor if I did. I pulled back and leaned my head on hers, "I know we haven't known each other long but can I ask you something?" She nodded breathlessly from the kiss. "Have you slept with anybody even Jose?"

She looked into my eyes, and a small tear escaped her eyes, I knew the answer but I wanted to know. "No, I haven't."

I placed a kiss on her lips. "Can I suggest something?" She nodded. "My brother Elliot has a philosophy and that is that the best way to get over somebody is to get under somebody new. Though he is a horn dog, would you like to do something about the situation?" She shook her head.

"I'm saving myself for marriage"

"Let's think about this. Jose cheated on you the night before your marriage and doesn't show up because he is embarrassed if anything I would be the embarrassed one for putting up with him for so long and for standing me up at the altar, and if you are waiting out for him that is sad. But if you want to that is fine." I let her let go of me, I turned to her before she closed the door. "Just so you know, I won't call you if you are waiting for him." I opened my door. Then I heard.

"Wait." She came to me as the lock tumbled over, "I want you to call me."

I grabbed her by her hips as her legs wrapped around me. I pushed my way inside and locked the damn door.


	5. Chapter 5 - I Put A Spell On You

Chapter 5 I Put a Spell on You

 _Christian's P.O.V._

I walk her into my room without even thinking about it, she's mine now, I will take care of her for as long as she needs me, yes I lied to her about my job but it's a white lie, I didn't want her to think I was a bum. I lay her down on my black bed, in fact, everything in my room was red and black, I liked the BDSM, but this was a girl I wanted to have stayed with me, I could live without it.

I dragged my lips off of her for a second, I had to know. "Are you on birth control?" She looked up at me with these big blue eyes, all scared, I knew it had been a while and I didn't have any protection. I heard my front door open up and close. Great, Elliot is home, "Wait here." I ran from her towards my older brother, who was just kicking off his boots, "Little bro, you're home I was thinking you'd be at a club somewhere playing your heart out." I waved it off.

"I would be but I have a girl here." I raised my eyebrows in taking two hints one there was a girl here and two there was a good chance I was about to get lucky.

"Oh, you dog!" He slams his hand into mine, then he looks at who is standing by my door. I turn to Ana, she was sacred I know she didn't want this to be here with me, but I wanted to make her forget about this asshole.

"Elliot help a brother out." He nodded and drummed his fingers he ran into his room and came back out. He passed me two from his stash of condoms God knows he has a mountain of them from Costco. I smiled at the thought. I nodded as if to say "thank you" then turned to the lovely Miss Anastasia Steele, "Come with me, my dear." I took her hand in mind and spun her around, I loved her in her I'm Owl Yours pajama bottoms with her Georgia Bulldogs Basketball shirt. I bent low once I got her back in my room and bent low to pick her up, as I did, I placed her on my bed and threw off my jacket, I ripped off my tie and my white shirt, I wanted her to earn a little bit what I had in store for her was going to blow her mind and make her forget that boy's name.

I took the drawstring of her pants in between my teeth, lucky for me I heard my brother leave out the front door again. I looked at her as if to ask permission to take it as far as she wants to. She looked up and gave me a silent nod, I pulled the thin fabric down in one movement, then as it became loose enough I pulled the pants down no panties but wow a little bushy, oh well I did like a clean shaven girl but what I wanted to do for her, I took her legs and draped them over my shoulders, I gently pulled back the folds as I did, I heard her protest. As she did I laid her fears to rest as I licked the inside folds, I was going to make her scream, I wanted to fuck her, hard. I placed a finger inside her vagina and when I did hear her moan, God what I could do with this girl. What I wanted to do. Her hands were in my hair making her dive deeper and into her. I took another finger and placed it inside of her, I heard that panting, she was close and it was getting tighter inside of her. "Come on baby give it to me." I found her little spot as I did, I heard her screaming.

"Christian!" Her hands were almost gripping at the roots of my hair and she wasn't letting go until I brought her to heaven. At this point I will let the foreplay go on my end and just fuck her, I wanted her to crush my cock like she had a tight vise grip on my fingers, she is soaking wet and I want her all to myself now, Her labored breathing returned to normal and my fingers were unlocked from her tight pussy, I took out a condom and rolled it on quickly I didn't want her to get a second ideas about backing out now. I stood with a raging hard cock in my hand she looked down at me, "how will it fit?" She asked,

"Don't worry." I reassured her. "You will expand too." Her eyes just kept looking at my cock to my eyes. I had the same thing happen to my first love Lily. She screamed bloody murder in the back of my dad's car, and got blood all over the place. Shit I should have thought to put a towel down, well too late now. I moved on to the bed with her and she looked at me all bashful, "Oh Miss Steele are we a little shy now?"

"Yes, I'm actually scared that it will hurt." My thoughts were confirmed. At least this could me going to grab a towel so we didn't sleep in her blood tonight.

 _Wait a minute Grey who says she wants to sleep with you after she's done with you?_ My subconscious snipped at me. I shook my head at the thought provoking bastard. I looked at her blue eyes. "I had to ask, do you want me to stop or do you want to get it over with and see what the fuss about?" She reached for the covers to pull up her exposed legs. I pulled up beside her, hoping that I could keep myself hard, no problem with her around.

"Well, " She cooed.

Shit, Grey, she's backing out.

"I want to then at least say I did it, then if Jose comes back I can say I have moved on, but I don't know it's so soon and I am scared it will hurt." I nodded in agreement.

"I won't hurt as much as it would on your wedding night, plus he won't be as gentle as I will be right now." She straightened to my statement, "there will be blood, but Ana if we do this, I will be devoted to you, one hundred percent. You will be mine, not Jack's not Jose's, mine." She picked at something on the bed that was there, I had to convince her that this was the best that I was the best she was going to have. "I want this, I want to make sweet love to you, and I want to do it again and again. Please let me Love you." She looked at me,

"Ok." I helped her out of her t-shirt, I then grabbed her face and rolled her under me, I placed my body over hers, I know I would have to wash the sheets but if it meant not having her running out then I was going to make her mine and only mine. I placed my hips right over hers and I looked deep into her eyes. "You ready?" She nodded.

"I think so, yes." I took a slow breath in as I watched her do the same. I put my body in line with hers and pushed into the tight, warm body. As I did I felt the tightness again as I broke her cherry. I stilled as I let her get the feeling through her. "You ready for more?" I asked she nodded. I draw out, and eased into her, she tensed and hissed in pain. "You ok?"

"Yes just getting used to your cock." I nodded at her word play, I drew out as I took her lips on mine, I thrust into her again. Not a moan as I took her again, I drew out and in again and soon, we didn't stop. I wanted to hold her, I made her into a woman. I felt her tighten up around me as I did I didn't stop. I kept up my pace and rhythm, she held my hair as I pumped. I took my lips off hers and watched her as she was building around me. "Come on Ana, give it to me." She moaned my name into the night, again and again. As she did, just before she was finished her orgasm I found my release and I held her close and groaned. "My Ana," I stilled as I felt my seed spill. I would never have my fill of Anastasia Steele, I don't think I ever will. I laid with her in my arms, within seconds of us making love I pulled out, and laid awake for a second, as she did, I held her in my arms as she turned over in my arms. "I want you to stay the night."

"Don't you work tomorrow?" She quizzed.

"I do, but I want you here now, please stay." Honestly, the girl gave me a run for my money I don't think I could move anyways.

"Okay, I have to get up at 6 a.m. though. I knew her alarm would wake me up it always did at 6 am. I held her in my arms, she was asleep in seconds. As was I.

 _Anastasia's P.O.V._

 _Holy fuck!_

 ** _I know this a smaller chapter, and I wanted to do Ana's P.O.V. but I thought the Holy fuck was enough, I will be writing and updating throughout the day. Just know there is more to this then mets the eye right now. Thanks for reading! Also I got a new Beta and he will be editing the story shortly after so there will be FEWER SPELLING ERRORS!_**


	6. Chapter 6 - Haunted

Chapter 6 - Haunted

 _Kate's P.O.V._

 _Flashback_

 _Today's the day, and I am here to give my best friend away on her wedding day. Here we are in the Bride's room, changing into the dress, Elliot my boyfriend is here, well in secret I didn't want to ruin Ana's big day by telling her I was dating our hot neighbor. I helped Ana pull up the beautiful sweetheart neckline white dress, Jose will die when he sees her in this, he will also have a heart attack when he sees the lingerie we bought just for tonight. Ana has got the wedding jitters as all do most brides are like is this what I want? I hear her words now, over and over. I look at my phone for the last time, Jose is running late. Ana is pacing, and I don't know what to do, I go out and check to see where he is, even Mr. Rodriguez was on the phone calling Jose, no answer._

 _"Where is he?" I hear Ana cry out from the room, it isn't a big wedding, and I know Ana's mother has flown in for the occasion. I go to Ana as Ana's mother Rachel joins us to comfort her. We hug her as she paces trying to come up with a reason he hasn't shown up. "Wanda died from our apartment" Was the big one playing the loop, like a broken record. Three hours later we waited outside my best friend's New Year's Eve Day wedding was ruined, most of the guests had left, and the reservation for the church was almost up and a funeral was next to use the Church. Then John Jose's best friend and best man came running up the church steps._

 _"I'm sorry Ana to be the one to tell you this, but Jose isn't coming, and on top of it, he was with me last night, and I'm sorry but I tried to warn him off that stripper, but she came around and they went into the back and well I'm sorry he cheated last night." Rachel and I grabbed Ana as her knees gave out, we carried her to the car and loaded her in. She didn't cry, didn't speak until we got home. I got her out of her two thousand dollars dress her mom and I helped her get. She could use it again, or sell it, I didn't care I didn't need the money, I got her the dress as my gift to get married. We had a nice bathtub that could fit three people in, I poured a nice bath for her, with the smell of lavender. Helped her out of loaned shoes for her nice lingerie, I helped her into the tub, I went out of the room for a second, and changed out of my dress and made a call to her work to call her in sick for the next few days. It's when I didn't hear her for a few minutes splashing about I was worried, there weren't any hard drugs in the apartment that I knew off. I walked in on her in the tub sleeping. "Ana wake up!" I looked over at something Jose must have left behind he never left anything behind he took everything with him when he left most times but I looked at the bottle beside the tub, it was a prescription for sleeping pills, she downed the whole bottle._

 _Present_

I wake up in a start, Elliot is beside me, and that moment she doesn't wake up and I cried out her name lucky for me Elliot and Christian helped me get out of her tub and rushed to the Emergency room. We got her stomach pumped and she only took five pills not enough to kill her just send her into a long nap but if I didn't walk back in she could have drowned. I sit up and put my feet on the cold sobering floor. I knew Jose was never coming back but the fact he left the pills here was like he was saying I'm better off without you. It was the crest of three a.m. Ana must be sleeping better now, she doesn't remember the pills if anything she slept for the whole day in the hospital and when she woke up enough she came home and slept the rest of the day away, it was hard to get her out the door heck, I made it so she would take my place on Dueling Pianos to get her confidence back. Walking out in summer clothes in the middle of winter is not something I want to do again. Plus I couldn't out play Christian I have heard him at 3 a.m. on a Saturday night. But he didn't know my plan but he agreed to play me at Dueling Pianos it was Jason Taylor the owner who let me pull that stunt.

"Hey, baby why are you awake? You still thinking about that night?" I nodded.

"Yeah, I just can't believe he hasn't called yet." I ran my fingers through my loose hair.

"Well if he did call what would you want him to say? 'I'm sorry for standing your best friend up but like yeah this stripper named Cupcake rocked my world and well sorry I don't want to be with her.' That's in the movies Kate, Ana has moved on and so should you, he is an asshole, come back to bed." I couldn't shake the feeling he was coming back now, Elliot was right, he heard the fights I would have with him, about him disrespecting Ana in front of me. He would never hit Ana but still, if they had married he would have hit her. I fall back into a restless sleep soon I would have to be at work and there was no point in getting worked up over the past.

 _Anastasia's P.O.V._

I awake to the sound of an alarm, it was mine, it was next door but I could hear it. I looked over to see Christian was up. I pulled myself from the now sticky bed. I looked down and my legs were covered in blood and it wasn't that time of the month. I felt bad about the blood, I didn't know where to take the sheets I grabbed them and made a dress from them. I looked left then right, the shower was on in his bathroom I could make a break for it and I did. I ran out, with his sheets and my Pajamas. I shot into my bedroom and put the soiled sheets into my laundry basket, I pulled my ducky robe on my naked body. I then quickly turned, turning off the alarm and heard giggling, the shower was turned on and my chance to get naked and dance under the rain drops was over. I looked at the blood staining my legs followed by a _"what the fuck?"_ on the other side. He knocked on the wall. _"You stole my bed sheets?"_ He asked. A little hollow I laughed.

"No borrowed. I will clean them." I replied.

 _"Oh, I could have done that."_

"I feel bad for bleeding on them, Please let me get you clean ones."

 _"No it's ok I was hoping to do it today, I had a cleaner who comes by to take of this kinda thing."_ I looked at my laundry pile.

"If you want to do mine I will leave my basket outside your door with your sheets too."

" _Sure that's no problem, shouldn't you be getting dressed or showered?"_ He asked.

"Kate's in the shower with a boy toy I don't want to be rude."

 _"I have a shower that is free over here if you want to use it. Then you can get ready for work here."_

"Is that your way of saying I want to see you naked again?" I giggled at that thought.

 _"Could be but I know blood is a sticky thing most girls don't like, I wouldn't mind helping my fellow neighbor out."_

"Ok give me a second."

 _"Okay"_ I ran to my closet and quickly made light work of what to wear when I did, I didn't like it, in fact, most of what I pulled out I didn't like. I ran to Kate's closet who was still in the shower. I made fast work and pulled out a plum colored dress I had only seen her wear a handful of times, she did tell me _mi casa es Tu casa,_ meaning roughly what is my space is yours too. I grabbed it as she was just getting out of the shower with her hair in a Carman Miranda style towel on her head. "Hey is this ok if I borrow this today?" I hold up the dress.

"Yeah sure take it, I don't like it anymore, it's yours." She looked at me as I smiled. "There you are." She noted.

"What? Who?"

"That girl I met in the school newspaper room, that confident girl. Where was she?"

I smiled before replying and going back into my room. "She let a man take over her life." Kate beamed at me before ducking back into her room. I yelled to her to close the door, "I made nice with the cute guy next door I'm going there for a shower."

 _"Okay"_ I heard through the door, I grabbed my laundry basket, and my dress put the shoes in the basket and walked my robed butt over to Christian for a quick shower.

 **So far so good. I hope you guys like the writing so far, I hope you like the last chapter, it was hard for me to write from the Christain's** **point of view that's why when I pulled back from my story I was like ok take a break. I will write it from Ana's P.O.V. too, I just want to build more. I want there to be more back and forth for Kate and Ana as well as Ana and Jack, about him finding out the newly developed relationship and how he will deal with it, and Jose will be coming back for his "Annie," I know you don't see him explode but I have a feeling that if he sees another man with his woman...well I think I just let on a little more than I should have. ;) I am still looking for suggestions on Songs to Christain to play for you. Please let me know in the comments what you want to hear him play or sing. Thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7 - I'm On Fire

Chapter 7 – I'm On Fire.

Anastasia's P.O.V.

I walk into my office and immediately I am called into Jerry Roach's office. There I'm met with Elizabeth Morgan, Jack, and Kay Bestie. Jerry looks at me in dead in the eyes and asks me, "Anastasia, please sit down." I do what I am told, and I look to Jack who looks back to me. I look to Jerry who takes a grim look to me than his co-workers I know I am in trouble. "Jack, Anastasia, it has been called to our attention you two have been fraternizing at work, Jack I know your home life hasn't been the same since your wife left you and I get you are looking to Ana for comfort but please don't." He takes off his glasses and pitches his eyes this is hard to him. "Anastasia, you an amazing assistant to Jack and I know you had no idea about what is going on his life. Jack, I am putting you on a two-week suspension, you are dismissed." He held his hand up as if to squeeze my shoulder, but held it up and squeezed his fingers shut. Jerry then sits in his old squeaky chair the one I have fixed more than once for him. The one I have joked about breaking down any day now. I was fearful of losing my job they had a very strict no fraternizing policy. "Anastasia, please tell me that nothing happened, and I will do what I can to help you." I don't know what came over me, but the minute he asked me to tell him. "I was planning on telling you sooner but I was planning on Eloping on New Year Eve day, and I got left at the altar when Jack asked about Lunch which turned to dinner, which then left me running out of the restaurant. We did nothing, I swear. Jerry, please don't fire me I need this job, my ex-fiancée's family didn't pay a dime towards my wedding neither did my father, it was all me." Elizabeth looked like she was about ready to laugh at my story, and Kay was empathetic. I sat there and cried. Jerry looked to Kay and Elizabeth. "Ok was it an honest mistake?" He asked I didn't look up.

"The marriage or Jack because both are big honest mistakes," I whispered still sobbing. Elizabeth looked at her notes then to Jerry, "Jerry it's your call to terminate her or put her on suspension." He looked at me, he pulled his glasses on.

"Ana, if I assign you to Courtney Turniansky, can I have your word you will not every again fraternize with Jack Hyde again?" He asked in a Deadpan tone. I pulled up long enough to see Kay passing me the box of tissues. I dried my eyes as I did, I looked to Jerry. "Yes, I promise," Elizabeth looked gobsmacked. "Jerry we have to punish her, she did something wrong it is her best interest to be terminated."

Jerry turned to Elizabeth, "She's terminated, as Jack Hyde's assistant, she's Courtney's assistant." Elizabeth, I knew never liked me when I was hired on but I worked just as hard as any of the other publishers here. She looked to me to Jerry again. "Anastasia is going to take a week off get her emotions in check then she going to come back and she is going to work hard for Courtney. Ok?" He addressed me at the last part. I nodded.

"Okay thank you, Jerry." I wiped and blotted my eyes.

"Okay now go home and enjoy your time." I turned up from my chair and I went to my desk where shortly after Elizabeth came up behind me.

"You think you have gotten away this time but I am on to you Miss Steele." She turned on her heel and marched away. I wasn't good with threats, so I collected my bags and did the walk of shame out of the office and the co-workers looked up and over at me looking at me to see if I was let go or going home. Jerry met me by the front door seeing that Jack was still there looking like he was waiting for a cab, I saw that a red Mazda pulled up and a cute young blonde woman came up and came around and hugged him and gave him a long kiss on the lips he then got in the car with her and drove off, Christian was right, I was just the slam-bang piece before he would get caught. My insides ached so much from last night's making love session. Christian said he wanted me to shower and just to get ready, and that was it. I agreed and got ready. Only to be put on suspension. Jerry turned to me, "He is a bit of a horn dog, and I like you more than his last assistant so just keep it in your pants I know I would switch assistants around but Jack slept with her too, I have an idea, but it would mean keeping your mouth shut for a month." I nodded.

"Okay, what is it?" He smiled.

"I want to make you commissioning editor which means you would be working closely with Courtney, I was you would work closer to Jack but that got him closer to in your pants. I think he needs a male assistant." I was about to push the door to go out into the now falling rain. The snowflakes stopped a few days ago.

"Jerry," I turned to him while opening the door he waited for a second more. "Why wait a month?" He looked at me.

"I'm making budget cuts and I don't want Elizabeth to think that she is losing her job because you are getting a promotion, you get more money but she has been slipping the last little bit I will get a new head of personnel but right now, I need her gone, and I will do all I can to help you, Ana but right now, worry about you and I will worry about her." And with that he went back upstairs I pulled out my phone and called Kate, I need to hear her voice.

"Settle Times this is Katherine Kavanagh speaking" I smiled she wanted to be a journalist since she was small she told me that and hearing her say it over the phone as I walked to Wanda, I put my coat in as I spoke.

"Hey I have a week off, my boss Jerry is giving me some time off to get my life in order." I shut the door and climbed in on the other side.

"Oh, that's good, what are you going to do with yourself?" A slow smile came to my face of what I wanted to do.

"Oh I don't know, maybe cookies for our neighbors." I giggled, I didn't turn over the engine as I sat there and talked to Kate.

"Cookies? Is that what the kids are calling sex nowadays?" I laughed out loud.

"I guess they are, I gotta go but dinner will be ready when you get home." I put the key in the ignition.

"Ok, thanks, Wench!" She laughed as we hung up. We never said goodbye because we knew we were seeing each other later. I turned over the engine as she roared to life, I pulled out into traffic. I started driving home. I wondered what was Christian was in a broad room sorting out the law or reading the wall street journal.

Christian's P.O.V.

I kissed Ana goodbye this morning and I went back to playing on the Piano, I started into some Bach Concerto in D minor. I was lost in the music, I heard the door open and close and I looked up nobody was there but it was the other apartment, I could hear her. Why was she home?

I looked at my watch it was only ten a.m. I looked down I was in only my gray sweat pants and shirtless unless she bought I was working from home today, I wanted to see her, I wanted to make her mine over and over again. I patted over in my bare feet and went knocking on her door. She came and answered it in her plum dress, she looked hot enough to fuck in it. "You're home early." She smiled.

"I could the same about you too. Why are you home?" She asked.

"I had to let my cleaning lady in and I thought I could work from home today." She noted my attire next.

"I didn't know that sweatpants were ok to wear to a home office." She smiled she was mocking me.

"Well Miss Steele, since it is my home I will wear whatever I damn well please, even if it's your pretty plum dress!" She backed up as I stalked her into her home.

"Oh Mr. Grey, I don't think you could fit into my clothes."

"Wanna bet?" I scooped her up in my arms and kicked the door shut.

We spent the better part of the afternoon in bed as the morning we tried to get my butt into her daisy duke shorts, something her mom bought her when she was in Georgia. In the end, we decided we looked better as naked people and walked around very naked. Until I heard the door lock tumble over. Ana looked at her watch.

"Shit, Kate is home." She hissed. She was in the living room as I was I on they're couch. Ana got up and bolted to the front door holding her back as I went to her room to grab my sweats and a shirt, the only thing I could find a zip up hoodie. I came out as Ana ran in, and put on her pajamas from this morning as well as her Uggs, we came out as Kate was coming in.

"Well, Mr. Grey it's nice to see you."

"Nice to see you too Miss Kavanagh, glad to see you're no longer sick. Maybe we can do that duel with our pianos sometime."

She looked uncomfortable. "Yeah, sure we'll see." She turned into her room with a file in her arms I guess homework. Something I wouldn't know until I went back to work at the firm. Maybe I should look into it, in fact, I should if I should maintain this lie it would be nice if there was some truth behind it.

Kate came back out. "So which wench is cooking me dinner tonight." I raised my arms as if to say not me. Ana raised her hand, then went to the fridge to get it started.

 **Ok I will be working on other stories tomorrow but I wanted to get this one mostly done. hopefully you like it.**


	8. Chapter 8 - Beast of Burden

Chapter 8 – Beast of Burden

 _Jose P.O.V._

I can't believe this, I ran off from Ana. The girl I loved most since senior year in High school, watching her from grade 12 all the way to freshmen to a senior in college. Now I had a new girl, Elena, well her stripper name was Robin, her favorite movie was 'The Graduate.' So my Mrs. Robinson, she loved tying me up and whipping me, I never told her I was engaged just that we were exclusive and that I was on the fence about marriage. I had a moment to myself when I went back home today to get my stuff, it had been three weeks I never really called Ana to tell her I'm sorry. I took a right when I should have gone left to my apartment, I haven't talked to her. I have to tell her now I'm sorry.

I got to her front door and buzzed the neighbor who let me in, this time nobody was home, I buzzed another neighbor who knew who I was but said, "I'm sorry I don't know you." And hung up. I looked at the door as somebody was coming out looked like a delivery man, He held the door open for me, I went up to the second floor that she lived on, I turned to the left normally from the stairs you could see in the door and there was Kate with the bags of food. "Kate," I called, she looked up and looked into my eyes. From shock to surprise then to anger.

"Get the fuck outta here before I call the cops Jose." She snarled.

"Please let me talk to her," I begged.

"And say what? Sorry, I left you on the most important day of our lives, sorry I left the sleeping pills in the bathroom, sorry I left you without a shred of confidence," I tried to cut her off but she continued. "No, sorry for yelling and barking at you when I should have been more understanding, Sorry I should have been more for you, sorry I should have loved you more and pulled you close and not leave you alone when things got hot and heavy? Sorry I left you when I should have loved you longer, Sorry I cheated."

"Fuck this, I don't need this!" I stormed off,

"Yeah walk away Jose like ya always do, you can't face the fact she is now with somebody else who loves her and wants her and her virginity." I stopped.

"She was saving it for me." I turned to her. She was at the top of the stairs where I just was.

"She was now she has somebody who wants her, somebody who won't cheat and she is never, ever going back to you. Face it the day you walked away," She pointed her perfect manicured finger in my face, "You lost it all." She backed up as I came up the stairs a bit.

"Jose I think it is best you stay the fuck away from Ana, if you get near her again and I find out about it, you will be in for a world of hurt." Just as Kate was going into the apartment Ana came out of her bedroom.

"What's going on? Kate why you shout…" She pulled past Kate and looked at me. She crossed her arms Kate was right, she lost her innocents to another man. "Never mind"

"Ana please can we talk?" I begged again, Ana looked to Kate than to me, then to Kate.

"Give me a minute." Kate looked at her and shook her head. "Please."

"Ok, look Christian is right here and so am I, call if you need anything," Kate whisper loud enough for me to hear.

"Ok" she then turned to me and looked at me. "Spill it what do to want to say." She stood with her arms over her chest.

"So this Christian guy, is he a serious thing or a fling?" I asked cautiously

She sighed heavily. "Jose you left me, it shouldn't bother you who I am letting me stick it to me now. Ok? If you want to talk about that then I have no reason to waste my time on you anymore." She turned to shut the door.

"Ana wait!" She stopped. "I came to apologize, ok? I'm sorry, I want you back I made a mistake."

"A mistake?" She shouted. "The definition of a mistake is an error in action or judgment in poor reasoning. You fucked up so bad that if I was to overlook the fact that you not only cheated on me the night before our wedding, take you back and undo all you said and did in our relationship, I would have no self-esteem or respect for myself. What I now have to do Jose is paying back myself for the wedding that your family didn't have the money for and my dad didn't want to pay. If anything you set me free, and now I am setting you free." She shouted to me making everyone around us hear what she was saying, I didn't want anybody to hear I wanted her to take me into her arms and say _"its ok I forgive you"_ and to take me into her arms and make love, just not today. She continued as I kept thinking of ways to get her back.

"Ana, please" I begged.

"No Jose, you lost me, I don't want to see you I don't want you to call me, I don't want you showing up here unannounced, our whole building has heard me through these thin walls and they know what you did to me, and they will not stand for it, nor will I. So go back to your whore or whoever and be with her. Because we are never, I mean never getting back together." She yelled at me then turned and slammed the door right in my face. I heard a neighbor one floor up come out of his house and look down. "Get the fuck outta here before I call the cops on you." Before long a few other people others came out and were saying "get the F out" and with that, I ran. I will get my Annie back. I will always get her, one way or another I will get her. She will love me again. She will, I know it.

 _Anastasia's P.O.V._

I turned to find Kate and Christian standing there. I was shaking, my love, my Jose asked me to come back and that person whoever she just took over. I shook and collapsed, Christian grabbed me before I fell to the floor.

"What just happened?" I asked.

"I knew it." He held me close as He picked me up. "Kate, thanks for the food but take what you want and go to my apartment and be with Elliot, I want to be alone with Ana." I just held on to Christian. He bends low and picked me up and my legs just hung as I held on to him he placed me on my bed and removed my slippers and tucked me in. He climbed in on the other side. We held each other. I loved him without knowing what love was. I was beginning to fall in love with Christian, we held each other until the light outside was gone and we lay in a darkened room. I wanted him to stay by my side forever, He rubbed my back. "If you want to talk about it, then just talk, I will lay here and listen." I laid there and thought about my past with Jose.

"He would abuse me, not physically but mentally, and emotionally. He would use 'nagging' to get his way, so I didn't sleep with him, he pushed it but I said I wanted to wait until I was ready. He always nagged me about waiting. He would always say 'nobody would want to sleep with somebody as dull as dishwater.' My father thought I was making a mistake when I said 'yes' but Jose was all I knew, I didn't think I would get better then him, I wanted to read and stay in, play the piano, he even harped on me saying that piano won't pay our bills if we got any, he was starving artist himself. I loved books so much I went into publishing. But since leaving him my life has gotten better."

Christian pulled my chin up in the dark, "Yes it has and you are not as 'dull as dishwater' if anything you are as bright as a rainbow." I cried as I laid in his arms. He pulled me close. "I heard you crying after him, I thought whoever he is I would hit him like a wrecking ball and keep hitting. If anything, he wasn't the one for you, he never was." He pulled me closer. "If anything I'm proud of telling him off tonight, you are so much better off."

I sniffed. "I don't think so. I loved him."

"Loved?" He challenged.

"Oh," I guess I had stopped loving Jose, did I ever love him? Was I marrying him for the title? The title to say this is my husband? What did it mean to be married? I thought it was cool to say I am married, to say this is my man, my husband. In reality, I cooked and cleaned after Jose, when he was over he expected me to cook and clean after him, I never saw his house but if I did I bet I would be cooking and cleaning there too. "He even wanted me to stop working so I could complete his dream of a little woman in the kitchen and cleaning the house. I never saw his home, he didn't want me to get any ideas of us jumping into bed he was dead set on us saving ourselves for our big day."

"Wait a minute," I look up as he puts it together I turn on the light on my nightstand so I could get a look at what he was thinking. "He wants you to sleep with him, but he nags you will be as dull as dishwater, he wants you to wait until you're married to sleep with each other, but nags you to sleep together sooner? Like I know this sounds messed up. Was he even thinking about what you wanted?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, I just know I wanted him at the time, like I wanted to hold out until I knew it was right, I only want to get married once, my mother has been four marriages, I didn't want to be in a place where there were children involved and have a nasty divorce." He nodded.

"I hear you, I had a drug strung out mother whom pimp used to beat and put his cigarettes out on me as a child, and I don't want to have a child be born into that kind of life. I mean my mother and father took care of us the best they could but some things you can't fight, or undo." My head perked up as I pushed out of his hold.

"What do you mean? Don't you have a mother or a father now?" I asked in pure shock.

 **I'm actually kind of excited that I am going to be writing about Christian's parents in the next part...maybe, maybe not...! We will see! Also, I did what I think a lot were hoping for and that was Drama between Ana and Jose which there was, however, I am a nonvoilent person, so a lot of people wanted to see Ana backhand Jose but I will save it for later. I think a matter of wits to tell him off is better. I think a lot of people will agree. I will save the better parts for Christian...oops I'm doing it again... well I hope you enjoy this, I was sitting up thinking about how he would come back and it hit me on the head this morning. But until next time. :) Enjoy.**


	9. Chapter 9 - I Don't Want To Live Forever

Chapter 9 – I Don't Want To Live Forever.

Christian's P.O.V.

Shit, why did I let it get this far? I love her yes but this is madness, I want her, and I can't believe I told her my parents are not here. "Um…" I was trying to tell her, I might as well tell her, God knows the last parts of out courtship have been a lie.

"Anastasia, to be honest with you, my parents died a few years ago, car accident. The truck didn't see them and they hit them head on, something about the driver texting. It just I don't open a lot about it, and I'm sorry for not telling you."

"No Christian I'm sorry for your loss and I'm sorry for pushing." She came back to my arms and we laid there I know her body was still sore and her standing for long in the kitchen made it so we were ordering in for dinner like I minded. I would go and do anything with her.

I pulled her up after a few minutes in fear of my beauty sleeping before putting food in her belly. She began protesting, but I told her to "Pipe down sweetheart, we are eating and I want food, as much as I want your body I want this more." I pulled up to the counter and made her a small plate. She sat at her breakfast bar and waited for me to serve her.

"Your good at serving, have you thought about becoming a waiter?" She quizzed.

"I once was before I became a lawyer, my dad found out I was saving he said it was smart but he wanted me to have all my focus on school so I quit shortly after I started at Keys on Main. Mr. Taylor and I go way back. Anyways enough about me what about you?" I asked

"What do you want to know?" She asked in between bites.

"Did you play sports?" I asked.

"No, I had the t-shirt from my mom's house, it was my painting shirt, and she said I could keep it. I'm not for sports."

"What do you like then?"

She sighed, "Oh I don't know, books? Thomas Hardy is one of my favorites, I love Tess of the D'Urberville."

I smiled, I could watch her read all day, and play, I made another plate for myself, and I stood and ate as I watched her eat. I loved sweet and sour pork as well as beef and broccoli, we talked about what our childhoods were like, I didn't get into the heavy stuff she didn't need to know about my first mother. But I told her about Grace, how I loved her, how she told me about playing, about how she told us about her body growing with our real sister, Mia, I would listen to her heartbeat and feel her kicks. Elliot wasn't in love with her as I was. I looked at my phone as I thought about her.

"What you thinking about?" She asked me.

"Mia, my sister, my birth sister, I was thinking of inducing you to her." She was taken aback like she didn't believe I had a sister, she relaxed.

"I would like that," that was the reply I was hoping for, I smiled to her answer.

"Great we should make a family day of it."

Knowing my sister took the house but only goes out there on the weekends, we got her a small loft in the city to be close to her restaurant, The Buttery Chef. Where she made pastries galore in there, and bread. I didn't go past that street or in her shop, not that I didn't love her, just after mom and dad left, it left a hole in my heart and me bitter, for a while I felt lost and Mia got over it in the normal space of grieving time. I say I visit my mother's grave often, but that would be a lie, the truth is, I didn't know how to handle mom and father's passing so I lashed out, to everybody that came within a few feet of me. Elliot left me alone a lot of the time due to my foul moods. Well no longer.

I looked out at the darkened skies. Too late now.

"Can I take you out tomorrow?" I asked.

"Don't you work?"

"I do, just I called when you were outside and I can take some time off." Her face made an "oh" face. Then came around to wash her dish and put it in the dishwasher.

"Must be nice if you own part of the company to take time off like that."

I nodded in agreement, I knew that if she knew the real reason why I collect a cheque and not face my father's collages she would hate me. If she knew I was the reason my parents died that night, I was the one who told them to hurry, it was my fault. No matter what my doctor's said, what Mia and Elliot said it was me that my father and mother were racing to see. I will always put myself to blame for their deaths.

The next morning I drove out to the cemetery, I looked over the grey skyline, I thought of that morning how we were driven out by limo to my parents final resting place, I didn't cry I didn't want to, I thought of everything awful thing I did in my life to make me lose to of the most important people I loved. I looked at Ana, she had no idea how many demons lurk in my chest with my heart. Grace saved me and I couldn't save her, I pulled to a stop when we came to the spot where my parents where. I gruffly spoke. "Here" I got out first to let her out. I didn't want to do this, I didn't want to visit, I didn't want to see, Grace Lynn Treavely-Grey 1953-2006 and Carrick Theodore Grey. 1949-2006. I didn't want to cry, not in front of Ana's, I didn't want to speak, I didn't want to tell her.

"My dad died when I was a baby." I looked to her as she told me. "He was in combat and took a shot to a heart, and he was gone so quickly so my mom says."

I nodded, unable to speak. "You ok?" I wiped my eyes as we moved closer to the headstones. I shook my head.

"Do you come out here often?" The tears caught up with me and I shook my head.

"Do you work too much to come out?"

"I blame myself for my parent's death." I blurted out. We stopped in the middle of the cemetery. "The night they were killed I was playing at Keyes on Main and I couldn't save her, my mommy I couldn't." I dropped to my knees and cried. She came to me,

"I'm sorry Christian." She whispered.

"Like how can you love a man who sent to their parents to their deaths?"

"Why would I think that?"

"Because I'm the reason they hit the truck."

"Christian, they didn't hit the truck, the truck hit them, and it isn't your fault." I shake my head,

"No matter how many times people say it, I still believe it's my fault." She nodded.

"I know, but sooner or later you will see that it wasn't." I got angry, then I looked into those pale blues, it would something my doctor or Mia would say but this time from her it was with love.

"You know what, I know your right but really I don't think I can believe that now."

I looked at the floor as she placed her hand on my chin and pulled me close to her face, I looked into her bright blue eyes, how could I let her into my pain-filled world, my demons talked to me, and shortly after that night I tried to take my own life. I didn't tell even my doctor that, he would believe it was a cry out for help when really it was for me to deal with the pain.

"Ana I play because when I want to hear my mother's voice I hear her when I play the piano. So at three am when I can't sleep is when she is there."

Ana's warm body pulls me into an embrace I love this woman and I don't know how she feels about me.

Ana's P.O.V.

I pulled Christian into my arms and held him. I wanted him, I knew that I would have to take him warts and all, this was somebody I wanted to love. To try and understand. For crying out loud I wanted to understand.

"Christian I understand that this a lot, but did you stop working because of your parent's death?"

He looked up at me and whispered. "Yes."

I shook my head, "Why would lie to me about working?"

"I didn't want you to think less about me, I know you see me or thought you did see me, but I saw you every day, every day for over two years, with him, and I wanted you to mine so badly. You are so beautiful inside and out and he stole that from you. I want you here and now as mine." I got down to his level and sat in front of him. "Christian, I love you, I love you for your past and for who you are now."

His face shot up, "how can you say that when I am such a fuck up?"

"I don't see that, I see a man who is in a lot of pain and I want to help him learn to live again." He pulled me close, there in the creamery Christian wept in my arms.

"Okay." He pulled tighter around my body, as we were sitting there we heard footsteps behind us.

"Christian is that you?" A medium blonde came up behind us. Christian looked up for a second.

"Hi, Mia how are you?"

"I'm ok, I'm glad you came to see mom and dad, who's this?" She looked to me, to which Christian answer.

"Mia, this is my girlfriend, Anastasia, Ana, this is my younger sister, Mia." I turned to raise my hand for her to shake to which she lowered herself to shake my hand.

"How do you do?" She smiled as she asked,

"I'm fine, Christian wanted to bring me here to show me where his parents were laid to rest." She nodded.

"Well come on, let's go." I was almost pulled up by the strong blonde. Christian then rose up and helped me off the wet grass. We walked to the tombstones and there we looked at the two people who raise Christian.

"Mom, dad, I wanted you to meet my Girlfriend Anastasia Steele, Ana this is my mom Grace and my father Carrick." I looked at the stones.

"Hello there."


	10. Chapter 10 - Undiscovered

Chapter 10 – Undiscovered

Mia's P.O.V.

Well this is a first, I look up from laying flowers down on mommy's grave and there in front of me is Christian, he hasn't been here since mom and dad's passing, I knew it was hard for him to come to terms with their deaths but he had to stop blaming himself for it. It wasn't his fault. I noticed a burette sitting beside him, from what the looks of it, it looked like a girlfriend. Christian didn't do the girlfriend thing, let alone have a date, with a man or woman, he just never dated. I came closer up to the two of them and called to him and I saw Christian look up first. "Hi Mia, how are you?"

"I'm ok, I'm glad you came to see mom and dad, who's this?" I looked at the brunette.

"Mia, this is my girlfriend, Anastasia, Ana, this is my younger sister, Mia." I lowered myself down to their level, I didn't want to kneel on the wet grass, but getting down to my brother who was clearly hurting was something I need to do.

"How do you do?" I asked,

"I'm fine, Christian wanted to bring me here to show me where his parents were laid to rest." She told me, why didn't she work? Or did she? I nodded.

"Well come on, let's go." I grabbed her to keep myself from falling over in the wet soggy grass and ruin my $900.00 pant suit. Christian then rose up and helped Ana off the wet grass. We walked to the tombstones.

"Mom, dad, I wanted you to meet my Girlfriend Anastasia Steele, Ana this is my mom Grace and my father Carrick." I looked at the stones.

"Hello there." She announced.

"They are the real quiet type. Don't take it personally if they don't say anything." I joked. I smiled to Ana, hoping she would get my joke, luckily she did and smiled. I leaned on the one tombstones that were of one of our dead relatives.

"So Christian, why come out today?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I just wanted to show Ana our parents and where they were laid to rest."

"I get that, did you want to come by the bakery sometime? I can make you your favorite dish." I commented.

"You bake?" Ana remarked.

"Yes I went to Le Cordon Blu in Paris, France, I loved it, the food the bread, the wine, oh Ana have you had French White wine? Paired with salmon bagels and locks?" my body was almost mid-orgasm when I told her about one of my favorite foods of the city. Every morning croissants school, lunch time it was wine o'clock, "we'd spend at least two hours at lunch eating food and drinking wine." I sighed, "I miss Paris. Have you been Ana?" She shook her head.

"No I haven't traveled much, I was supposed to get married and well that didn't work out."

"What do you mean it didn't work out?" I asked. How can somebody as beautiful as her not get married?

"Well, he left me at the altar on New Year's day." My mouth dropped open,

"How dare he! Did he at least say sorry?"

"No, I had to pay everybody back myself he came back over last night looking for me to take him back."

"Well shit, I hope you put him in his place and that would be in a body bag."

Christian cleared his throat, "I would have liked too, but sadly she took care of him, don't worry Mia, she is mine." Ana tweaked her head back to see what he just said.

"So I'm yours now?" She asked.

Ana's P.O.V

"So I'm yours now?" Since when? I don't remember saying Yes I will be yours.

"Well," He cleared his throat again, "I thought since I did you that cherry picking favor, you were indeed mine."

I laughed, "Yours? We haven't even been on a date yet, or anything, I just spend the day with you in my apartment, naked no less and you popped my cherry, yes, but we haven't had dinner or gone to the movies or even done any couple things." I pulled in close. "I will count this as date one." He smiled.

"There it is!" Mia yelped excitedly, "it's his smile! Nobody since before mom or dad's passing has seen it! And I saw it! Thank you, Ana!"

She ran from the headstone and wrapped her arms around me.

"Thank you so much, that was the first step, let's hope you stick around long enough to hear him laugh." She hugged Christian, "don't be a stranger in my bakery Christian and don't worry, I will make you some good food. I gotta go but I will see you two later." She walked to the other side of the graveyard, watching her get in her little Blue Audi and speed off she honked her car horn and drove off.

"So that was Mia," Christian said. I nodded.

"I like her, she is very passionate about making you smile." He chuckled.

"Yeah she is a funny girl but she wanted to make happy, even during the funeral she was making jokes, it was her way of grieving, I haven't seen that girl with a frown on her face."

I nodded. "Ok, well let's go get some lunch, what do you think we should do?"

"I think my temptress, we should go someplace like Pike Place and go some fresh fish and chips."

"Mr. Grey I never knew you for a seafood man."

"I am, I see food I eat it."

He took my lips into a kiss and nibbled on my lower lip. I loved the pain that came with it, and I loved his tongue in my mouth. He took my hand and led me to the car, he opened my door, something José never did. I wanted more of this. The more of him paying attention to me.

Christian's P.O.V.

Why did I say I wanted to go for fish and chips? I much rather go back to her house and peel every layer of clothes off of her and make love to her like no tomorrow. Oh well might as well do this, then later I can get her naked.

After a fun afternoon in the city, the sun decided to grace us with it presents, and we had fun in the city, found out that Ana's step-father lived in Montesano, WA. She also told me about her mother who told her how to play the piano. How I wanted to just hear her say let's get out of here, I liked this couple stuff, but nothing would give me more satisfaction then bedding her right now, just as we went for some ice cream, Ana's went for Chocolate and I got vanilla, as we left the store the skies opened up and the rain began.

"Let's get home baby."

"I was wondering when you were going to say that!" She laughed as I took her hand and lead her up to the crowds that were now ducking for cover under Pike Place Market since we parked at home it just took her out from there and not pay for parking, we ran home, just as the skies let the flood gates open. We were both soaked.

"I have an idea baby." She had a slow curling smile come up around her face as I could tell what she was thinking. "Wanna have a bath together?" I asked hoping not to push my luck. Hoping she won't slap me and leave me in the hallway.

"Sure baby," Her answer was cool, I loved how words just fell outta her mouth, her smart mouth, I loved how she tasted, and with that we opened her door to apartment and walked her backwards to the bathroom, I helped her out of her clothes as I did I turned the knobs to fill the bathtub. We broke the kiss to take off our shirts. She would see my scars, I never let many people touch me, not even my adoptive mother Grace. Maybe I could let her. She reached up over my head and pulled down some lavender bath salts, and poured some into the water. I looked at her as she pulled off her pants and I watched her lower self into the tub. I turned around and locked the door to the bathroom. "I don't want my brother or your roommate to walk in on us."

"Good point."

I pulled down my pants and socks, pulling off my shoes at the door. I lowered my naked body into the warm water. I turned off the water as it splashed over the edges and I looked at Ana, the woman I wanted to sink into, the one woman I wanted for the rest of my life. I couldn't see my life without her.

With that, I pulled her hips, "ready for me baby?" I looked at her as I let her knees slid in beside me. Her bum was in my hands pulling her up wanting her to slip down on my mighty beast of a cock. He was pointing up straight at her. When she said.

"Wait."

I groaned I didn't want to stop. "We need a condom." She jumped out and walked out of the bathroom. I looked down at my cock.

"Dude, don't go anywhere, we knew this has the happen, we know you don't think and I lose blood when we get into action, so either gets protection or you will be blamed for the kids later."

Ana came back in with a few rubbers. "Who were you talking to?"

"Him." Pointing to "the devil that lived in my pants." She let out a laugh. I looked down, Yep just a simple bath without sex, well as least not now with her laughing at me talking to my dick.


	11. Chapter 11 Meet in the Middle

**Ok I know I have been away for a long time but I wanted to say that I stop writing all of my stories. I became unengaged and I left the man I thought I loved. He lied to me for 9 months about our rent being put into his landlord and because I was not on the lease I was not notified. You can understand my anger and frustration when a bailiff showing up at my door with the landlord with a notice in hand. I was modified, beyond modified, to say the least, I quickly grabbed what I could (yes laptop was taken, Thank God) anyways for two weeks I thought the landlord was wrong so I pulled out all the stops since my ex-finance repeatedly lied to my face. Until I demanded to see rent receipts or a screenshot of his account statements. To say the least, the landlord was right to kick us out. But the reason I say this is because I love above all else will write, it heals me in a way speaking can not. I was lucky I grabbed my laptop, I went to the storage unit today to look over where my clothes and belongings were and in boxes upon boxes was no hope, I got my summer clothes out but even then it wasn't enough. As I pour my words out here, I wanted to say I stopped writing because a man got in my way and his problems became mine, I love you all and it gives me so much joy when you click that like or reply button. Nothing in this world gives me that greater Joy.**

 **So for the first time in three** **weeks, I found I had enough energy to plug in for a bit and to write to all of you. So please I don't need sympathy, I need you to tell me that this is the best piece you read all night and that I am better off without the scumbag. Because that's the only thing that is keeping me away from him and he is still in the hospital. Which by the way, he got a staph infection on his shoulder, two, three days before we got booted. Talk about shitty timing. I love you all and I can't wait to hear what you have to say.**

Chapter 11 Meet in the Middle

 _Kate's P.O.V._

While out in the Market today I see Ana and Christian running back to the apartment, I smile inwardly to myself as I get caught in the rain, I hang back letting them have they're fun like Elliot have been doing, until I hear a familiar voice, and it calls to the darkest place of my soul, one of a Spanish accent. "Kate fancy seeing you here, how have you been?" My bones in my hand form a fist, and then in one movement release, my anger is replaced by Ana's happiness, something I can use to make Jose lose his mind and maybe even walk away.

"Better now that see Ana is happy with her boyfriend Christian." I turn to him big mistake as I said it, the blow comes hard and I land hard on my ass, dropping my paper bag full of our food for the next week, Jose grabs me by the collar and pulls me up to his face.

"Tell that fleabag to get off my girl, she's mine." He growled in my face so much so spit came out of it, and landed on my chin, he let go of me and ran away, I sat there with a shiner on my left eye, it was starting to swell up and I knew I needed help if it meant getting home, I called 9-1-1, If it meant I bust Ana's day with my injury, then it had to be a good one. After the E.M.T. looked me over and a police took my statement and wiped off his DNA on my chin, I was safe to walk home with a police escort. I made it in safely and went up to the apartment, I unlocked the door to find the apartment flooded.

"Ana, what the hell is going on?"

She ran out in her purple bathrobe to which her smiling face turned to stone as she saw mine.

"Never mind the water, what happened to you?" I looked at her, who was in or about to lucky, as I looked her over, I waved her off.

"No, you have to tell me what happen." I heard splashing,

"What's going… Kate, did my brother do that to you?" I ignored the man was naked before me and I wanted to think of Elliot but I said

"Jose hit me he saw you two in the market and I made a stupid comment about your happiness and he told me to tell you to leave her alone, that she was his, I want to kill him so badly but really if it means I lose out on my best friend, I won't do it." I didn't cry but in that moment I felt my swollen eye leak out a few painful stabbing tears. Christian naked held me in his arms and I held him back, Ana came behind him and held him in the middle as we embraced each other. I pulled back and I wiped my eyes and walked to my room, I would never have a feeling for Christian but in this hour I felt he was a better boyfriend to me than Elliot but not to judge, Elliot was still at work, and Christian acted out of compassion and love. I pulled off my clothes for the day and pulled on my pink Eiffel Tower Pajamas I had to put some ice on this, my brother a Pro UFC fighter would tell me to put some ice on it to take off some of the swelling on my face. As I moved with the one eye, I heard him in my head.

 _"Tell that fleabag to get off my girl."_ Shaking my head of the words that rolled around in my head, I sat at my make-up counter and ran my hands through my hair. I didn't hear Elliot come up behind me, so much so I jumped.

"Here." He held a blue bag for my face,

"Elliot don't scare me like that." I scolded.

"I know but Chris told me what happened and I'm so sorry why didn't you call?" He quizzed.

"I thought I could handle it on my own," I whispered.

"I know but honey, some battles are not meant to be won with one soldier but with an army." I stood up and wrapped my arms around him and sobbed.

"He was going to kill her, he was going to destroy her, I was the only way to save her." I sobbed out the words.

"I know my baby, I know, let's do this, you need a break from the rat race of Seattle and I can tell Christian and Ana need a break too, let's get on my parent's very nice left to us plane and take off to Mexico for a week, come back as new people." I nodded. A break, since my daddy did own the paper he could give me the time off.

"Ok let's go."

 _Ana's P.O.V._

I overheard them talking and I looked to Christian who was making food for all of us, I didn't know what it was but it smelt heavenly.

"Have you been to Mexico?" I asked as I came back around the corner.

"Have you learned to stay out of other people's business, but yes I have, now you sit there to look pretty and I will make you my poor man's Spaghetti, with sauce." He smiled over his shoulder. I noted him chopping mushrooms.

"Can you make it without mushrooms? I'm kinda allergic to them" He turned to question my ethics.

"Then why would Kate have them in the house if she knew you were allergic to them unless it is a fake allergy?" He asked with the knife still in his hand resting on the counter.

"Well she likes them, I don't. I just say I'm allergic to them so I don't have to eat them or pick them out of my food. I'm sure you do the same." He shook his head.

"Ana I'm not a fan of white liars and I'm a fan of most foods, anything that is hot and brown goes in pretty fast if you haven't noticed. My birth mother she died and left nothing but a cold bag of peas and water in the tap for my survival, there is nothing I don't dislike."

"Bullshit brother, there was mom's Mac and Cheese with wieners that you used to turn your nose up at." Elliot came back in the room with no Kate. I guess she was packing. "I Thought I would tell you both since you both have to time off that it was in our best interest to take some time off for a while." He looked to Christian than to me. "How does that sound?" He smiled Christian, who was uncomfortable. Didn't like the sounds of what was being put before him.

"That sounds great Elliot, when do we leave?" I asked eager for information, that and I could go start packing as soon as he said the words. Thinking it would be next week. Lucky for me my updated passport came in the mail a few days ago.

"Right now, go get packed."

"Wait, what?" Letting the information sink in.

"Right now" He pushed me with his hands that now had come around me off the bar stood and over to my room. "Get packing."

"Do you own a plane?" knowing I didn't hear that part of the conversation.

"Yes we do our parents did, and we do now, so there, now move! The plane takes off in an hour." He pushed me into my room and I couldn't help but squeal in delight.

 _Christian's P.O.V._

"Elliot you have to tell like that?" a few seconds later a little girl squealing let out. Knowing it was Ana's little girl voice coming out to play.

"Tell her like what? That our parents God rest their souls wanted us to enjoy their fruits of their hard earned labor and it was all an accident. Christian, it wasn't your fault. It just happened to happen that night, you know dad liked to race his Corvette. It wasn't your fault."

"I know but she _saved_ me! And I wasn't there to save her! What does that make me?" I shouted.

" _Her son_ Christian, not her flesh and blood like Mia and I are but her son never the less. Stop blaming yourself. She loved you as she did me and Mia, look Ana loves you just as much as mom did, one day she will either be gone, and you will have somebody to blame and that will be nobody but yourself or you will be married to her. It's your call Christian, now I'm off to go get packed, you can come join us on an amazing adventure or you can stay here and wallow in your self-pity. Your call but if Ana gets on that plane alone I will do all I can to convince her you're not the man who helped save her in that bathroom the day of her failed wedding." I watched my brother turn on his heel, just as he was about to leave I said.

"Elliot, before we go can I interest you in this home cooked meal I made for all of you." I smiled never wanting food to go to waste.

"Christian, just freeze it we can have it when we come home." I smiled knowing he was right. I packed the dinner up and put in Ana's freezer, I wiped my hands and went to my apartment to get ready to go.


	12. Chapter 12 - Pray

Chapter 12

Grace's P.O.V.

Tonight is the night Christian's big performance, normally I would come to all his shows if I didn't work the night shift at the hospital, but since being on vacation I can go without a commitment. We got in my husband's mid-life crisis toy corvette and set off into the night. We stopped for dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant, I had a risotto and my husband had the parmesan chicken, 7:30 I got a call from Christian, asking where we were. We got back into the car since I had a few drinks and my husband had one I felt he was safe to drive. Although I was a little hesitant about it. With my children I stressed it over and over don't drink and drive. It isn't safe, yet the man I love and trust with my life is now driving away with me in his passager seat. We take a sharp bend in the road the car slips on the watery asphalt, and then two white bright lights came into view. I gasped as the car and the truck met, I grabbed my husbands arm as I knew what would happen next, I closed my eyes and thought of my children, Christian, Elliot and Mia.

I feel weightless, I mean I'm still here, but I look at the car, my husband is beside me, my arm still hanging to him, "what happened?" I ask as I do a look alike to Roma Downey came up, her soft Irish accent and Green eyes gave me comfort. "Don't be frightened. You are dead."

"But the show we were on our way to my son piano show." I exclaimed.

My husband was silent for the first time in a long time, I think he didn't know what to say about his car. I did, it was a waste of metal that killed us. "don't be feeling mad at your husband for a poor choice on his part. He is going to heaven, that's what I'm telling him now. You are going to see your kids." No I thought and in one movement she touched my arm and we were in the club.

I looked onward as I heard my favorite song, "Grace I can tell you had a lot of love from this child the most, you death will affect him greatly."

No words came from my mouth, only thoughts, "How? I don't want to die, I wanted Grandchildren."

"I know and everybody dies sweetie but when our time comes, our time comes. God choses who he wants to bring home and you and your husband were meant to love together, live together, and die together. He was your soul mate and sadly this is the way it has to be. We can stay until the police come to notify your children but after that we are going upstairs. I nodded. She was right. But I wanted to know about my children.

"Love?" I thought.

She looked at me with a smile. "Elliot will fall in love with his next door neighbour Kathrine, and Christian will have a hard time finding it in Anastasia his neighbour as well but really when he looks at her she will be in love with him and he will love her back. Just take some convincing. And Mia, well, if she has her daddy' s spirit in her, her mate will be here. I just don't know how they will meet."

I thought "what do you mean?"

"Well I can't tell you all of my secrets can I? But what you can do is if you see a man who would be the perfect match for her. Push her towards him." I nodded.

Just as Christian finished his last song I ran to him, my angel didn't follow and I wrapped my arms around him only to have him float through them. Just as I did, the police came in, "no its not time! I want more time no please don't take me, my babies! My children, Christian, Elliot and Mia!" They all stood as there as my legs began to disappear I reached out for one of them as I saw poor Mia breaking down, I cried. My babies, with my voice I screamed "CHRISTIAN I LOVE YO..." then met with silence as I was carried up higher and higher, until "pop" into the clouds I was. There was my husband dressed in white as was I, white robes. I joined him as I took his now warm hand. "So this is eternity." I thought. My husband answered.

"Yes it is, beautiful isn't it?" I looked down just to see the clouds opening and the kids there as if they never left. "You worry to much darling, the kids will be alright." He thought. Yeah right, I worry. We just walked, with all our cares, and worries below us.

 **I HAVE TO GET TO MY LAPTOP FOR THE REST OF THE STORY BUT I WANTED TO JUST HAMMER THIS OUT AS A SIDE PIECE TO KEEP THE STORY MOVING. SORRY FOR SHOUTY CAPS BUT I CAN'T SEE SMALL PRINT. I DON'T THINK I DID THE MOTHERS P.O.V. SO I WANTED A BREAK TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED A BIT MORE IN DETAIL. BUT THIS IS FOR MY HEALING. MORE THEN ANYTHING ELSE. IF THERE IS BOO'S BOO'S I WILL FIX LATER. ANYWAYS TALK SOON.**


	13. Chapter 13 - Helium

**Ok, in a bit of my pain I wrote this, I don't know why but I looked at it tonight and I wanted to try again, my last story wasn't that good, I wanted to do better. So I did. I'm going to bed now I can't wait to see what you think. Good night. I own all of my mistakes.**

Chapter 13 – Helium

Christian's P.O.V.

The Flight was one that was really quick then again, Ana and I were alone in our own room, we looked out to the aquamarine ocean and it was a hue of pinks, purples, reds, and oranges. The sun was setting and I was in love with the whole peaceful setting. We were on the ground floor of the of my parent's estates. I looked over the ocean as I knew this was the place I wanted to purpose to Ana, that is if she would have me. I was too much of a broken soul to enjoy love. Ana and Kate were giggling like school girls as they ran from the top of the stairs down looking all over the house. It was like they were sisters than friends.

"Christian!" I turn to see Paul Wiser, he looked like Bruce Willis, but more cunning.

"Paul!" I waved to the old fellow the one who has been married for 20 years now and had a wife who looked like she was 20 years younger. Maybe that would Ana and I. He was there in his white shirt and his swim trucks.

"I thought I heard school girls didn't know you bought me a present!" And quick with the dirty jokes, he was my dad's stock broker and he was one of my dad's best clients, to say the least, I knew the man for a good chunk of my life.

"Sorry, Paul, but the bunnies are off limits!" I heard Elliot's charming laugh coming through the door with Kate linked around his arms. Paul did a double take.

"I'm sorry but when did I say it was ok to bang my wife Elliot?" He laughed again, as did Elliot and Kate.

"I'm Katharine Kavanagh, you are clearly in need of a new scotch or glasses." She reached out and placed her hand out for him to shake. Which he did then kiss.

"I have heard of your father, Ed Kavanagh, smart man, but foolish for not sticking with me in his stock options." Kate pouted,

"He would have but he was checking out your wife." Paul smiled, I looked for Ana, who came out in a pale blue Maxi dress one we bought before we left Seattle. I beamed at her as she joined my side.

"Paul, this is Anastasia Steele, my girlfriend." Paul smiled and nodded he extended his hand to Ana to which she blushed and took naturally.

"An honor Anastasia." He kissed her hand and she giggled. It was the most beautiful sound I heard and I loved hearing her laughing.

"Ana, please Mr.?" She didn't catch his last name.

"Ana, beautiful name, please call me Paul." He smiled and his brown eyes looked at me and danced as if to say 'good job boy.' "So kids, my wife Leeann is making dinner would you like to join us, we have some more dinner guests but they are here for a celebration. Come the more the merrier." Knowing who that person was, it was his little sister whom I met when I was smaller and also again at 15 when she had a knockout body, but she was more of his wife, half-sister. He looked out for her ever since she turned 18 and her mother was killed she had nobody since then. I took pity on the girl but never anything more.

As the dusk came in, I looked out on the ocean hearing it's lapping song. I looked over to the railing, and there in her black cotton dress and her Auburn hair was Iris. Her mother was Irish, her Norwegian Father died before she was born, she had style, grace, she was everything my mother wanted in a girl for me, but she wasn't as submissive enough.

"Iris" I called, Ana looked to me as if I was nuts. She turned to the sound of her name, her green eyes looked red and rimmed around the edges like she had been crying.

"Iris is staying with us because another big shot loser dumped her so we are letting her stay here until she gets her life back in order." Paul mocked as she walked to her he put his arms around her and side hugged her hard with his arms. "Come on, it's your birthday Iris, another year and another year you can make more mistakes! Thank Fuck you didn't marry him." He laughed at her mocking her break up.

She pushed a tear away from her face, "Kinda hard to marry a dead guy, right?" She sniffed and went inside.

"She is being over dramatic, he didn't die, she is saying that he is dead to her after he ran out on her with a house payment and he didn't pay for six months, had to pack her whole life up, oh well, at least she didn't ask me for the money." He laughed again, I smiled and Elliot laughed nervously.

We sat down to dinner and Iris didn't say one-word edge wise she looked like she was looking out on to the ocean, Leeann was pleasant company, but poor Iris was the butt of Bruce's jokes all night long, they're son John was off in university in Canada.

"So Ana you're in publishing right?" Paul asked Ana.

"Yes that's right and" Ana started before Paul cut her off.

"That's great, why not give Iris a contract, I'm sure she can screw up a few words and make something of herself, remember that Iris?" He looked at her and her just finally turned to him.

"I'm sorry Paul but what did you say?" Her voice cracked.

"You went and blew through that money we paid you to become a writer and what did it get you?" Paul pushed her.

"Paul that's enough," Leeann begged her husband.

"No, I want to know." He pushed, the table went eerie quiet. She looked down and then he pounded his fist on the table. "Well?"

"I made a bad decision, and it cost me my mother's inherence when I was meant to save that money. Excuse me."

With that Iris then bolted from the table.

"Well run away child, always good at running away from your problems just like your book, your mother, and your break ups." I looked at Ana's chair to which was empty as was Kate's.

Ana's P.O.V.

I didn't even think, I just ran, I ran after the red head, through the house, and she ran out of the house. Kate was fast on my heels, she took off down a trail that leads to the beach, as she took off her shoes she ran to the water, in the darkest of the night I could see her outline of her in the moonlight. I went in after her as did Kate.

There she was in the water, sitting in the sand in the darkest part, her head in her hands, we grabbed her and pushed up, in hopes to not drown the girl, sure enough, we got up to take a breath, and we dragged her up to the surface. Coughing and spitting up sea water we sat there in the shivering cold as we looked to the wet red head. I wasn't a shrink but I knew this girl had mess up problems.

"He told me he loved me, then one day I had my bank account drained my savings were gone and the mortgage payment bouncing. Six times. I had to move out and foreclose, my, my," as she stammered she shivered and broke down and started crying. "Paul keeps poking me like a balloon waiting for me to pop, he does it because he wants me to cry and admit I am a failure and that I am no good."

"Are you?" Kate asked. She shook her head.

"I like to believe I am a good person, I give my time and give my last dollar to a starving child, I see good in people, I like to see the good in Paul but really he is just an ass to me, because I didn't give him my mom's life insurance and put it towards a story I wanted to write."

"I guess you picked the wrong publisher?" I asked.

"Not only the worst but they never gave me any credit for my work and they wanted money over and over again, and I was a dumb girl with a dream of getting published, and I pushed so hard that when I found out what they were doing it was too late and most of my money was almost gone. So I spent the rest on an editor and I sent it to a few local publishers in hopes of getting my work out there, but it was just a bunch of rejection letters and heartbreak." Her head pulled into her wet dress again.

Leeann came down from the house and looked at all three of us.

"Iris quit your pity party for three and get back up to the house, we need help clearing the table." Kate bolted upright to her feet.

"You know you're a pretty shitty person for not seeing your sister is hurting. If I did half of the things you said to Ana she would kick my ass into next week. Why not get your husband or my boyfriend to do it, right now Iris is busy" Kate fired back

"She is nothing but a spoiled brat." Iris shook as Leeann's words took to her like daggers.

"I'm a spoiled brat and my parents know to encourage me, and not push me down for my failures. You may be her sister but your husband and you are her only family she has. Why not act it." Kate stood her ground as Leeann charged her, and got up into her face.

"You are lucky you are Elliot's girlfriend, if you were staying in my houses, I would kick you out." She turned and marched up the beach, then stopped and turned to Iris. "Either come now, or I will lock you out with no clean clothes or food." I looked at Iris and her red-rimmed eyes.

"Don't go, Iris, stay with us, we can get you clean things. Don't worry." She looked up to the Auburn hair woman and her lip trembled. She got up and followed up to the house.

"Stop your crying, you look like a weak fool." She said as she marched up to the house. I looked at Kate who still stood her ground, I knew she was in trouble but I didn't have anything to do with her but watch her leave.

"I wonder if I can get a copy of her manuscript." I wondered aloud. Kate and I looked at each other. We took off up to the house I had to find out more on Iris, I absolutely had too.

The next morning over a coffee and emails exchanged with Jerry, I looked at her wrap sheet, she was a squeaky clean person, with her book manuscript in a Vancouver office, which I had called at 9 this morning 6 am back home to get a copy, if I could get her paperwork drawn up this afternoon I could get her on with S.I.P. at least give her something to look forward too.

I looked over the great love story she had, it was one about a football player falling in love with a fan and him losing his mind and how she reconnects with him to fall in love with her every day. I was crying by the end and in the end, I had to sign her, her fan base wasn't big but with a story as powerful as hers, it was like a modern day The Notebook with a sports twist. I pulled the laptop in front of Kate. "Read it, if you don't cry we will end our friendship today," I said as she pulled my laptop close to her to read the story. I began calling Jerry knowing Kate would be back in under two hours balling her eyes out. Sure enough, Jerry and I found a way to sign her and get the contract pushed through for that afternoon. Not even an hour into my conversation with Jerry, Kate came running back to me. In tears.

"Sign her." She put my laptop in front of me and ran away in hopes to find Elliot or kleenex. Christian had gone to town to get some food for lunch when a knock came to the front door. I went to the door as a courier delivery with a manila envelope stood before me, "Senora Steele?" I nodded and signed the delivery paper. I went back to the phone and called Jerry.

"Jerry speaking." He answered.

"I didn't know you could get a courier down here so fast with the papers to sign over a new author." I laughed as I sat at the kitchen table.

"I don't know what you are talking about Ana." He had a hint of confusion in his voice.

"Well sure you do, why else would you be sending me." I pulled out the papers, "Action to terminate the contract with Anastasia Steele?" I looked at the contract and there at the bottom was Jerry's autograph. "Jerry what did you do?" I asked sounding very stunned.

He was silent for the whole time I yanked out the papers. "Jerry?" I asked.

"Ana, I'm afraid I will get to the bottom of this, but I think this is Elizabeth's doing, I will call you later today, and don't work so hard."

I sat back in the chair waiting for my answer about signing a new author and there I was looking into the ocean blue. I pulled on my yellow bikini and went next door looking for Iris. I knocked on the back door and waited for the sliding glass door to open. But the house looked like it was being ready to be moved out of, I went to the next house to the one we had dinner at and knocked on the door there. As I did, Bruce came out.

"Well hello, Ava was it?"

"Ana is Iris around I was hoping to talk to her," I asked in hopes to see her and tell her about her new book deal in the works now.

"Ana now isn't a good time, Iris is moving back to Vancouver, she was only here a week, but maybe I can find you a phone number for you to reach her at." He turned and went back into his house and locked the door.

"Hey wait. Why you so mean to her?" I yelled through the Pixy glass.

"She needs to grow the fuck up and stop this fantasy that somebody wants to publish her. I have seen her work; she isn't that good."

"Well, that is a bullshit lie, my boss in Seattle wants to sign her." I retorted.

"It's a shame, I was beginning to think she would get a real job at some point."

"Writing is a real job, you just don't see it as a way to make money." I fired back.

"Look tootsie, we can argue over how much money a book sells or how much it doesn't so if you don't have any important information for me I suggest you get the hell off my property now before I call the cops. I'll tell Iris you made an appearance." Then drew the blinds. I went back to my house as I did, I heard my phone ringing.

"Jerry?" I answered.

"Dear Ana, enjoy your vacation while it lasts on your unemployment." Elizabeth fired.

"You won't get away with this." I spitballed back.

"I already have." Then the line went dead with a clicking sound and she was gone. So unsure what to do, I wanted to call Jerry and I wanted to call my mom. But I thought better of it.

I looked over the way Jerry signs his name on a contract to one I looked at on an email once, to the one in front of me. Pulling up an old document, I found his real signature, then I looked at the papers in front of me, but I noted the document looked forged. I called Jerry's direct line.

"Jerry, I think Elizabeth forged your Signature for my termination." I came out in one breathe.

"I know, but stay there in Mexico for a bit longer, I think we might have worked out your new placement." I smiled.

"Great to hear, can you email the new author proposal?"

"I'll do it tomorrow, that way I can get you to go outside and enjoy the sun." I smiled.

"Ok. Will do." I hung up. Knowing that when I returned home I would have signed a new author and I would also have a new job open for me and Elizabeth would be gone.


End file.
